BASIC LASAGNA - MEAT SAUCE - SPINACH - RICOTTA

Making lasagna (lasagna is the name for one sheet of the pasta - lasagne is the plural) may appear difficult, but is easy if you move step by step. This recipe is for a 3 layer lasagna in a 6 1/2 " X 11" by 2" square, straight sided baking dish. If you use a different sized baking dish, measure the dish, figure out how many sheets of lasagna you will need per layer, how many layers (usually 3) to get the number of sheets.

Before you 'assemble' the lasagna, the ingredients must be ready: the ragu prepared or the spinach cooked and drained (as dry as possible), the béchamel sauce prepared, and the pasta cooked and drained.

COOK the sheets of pasta in abundant boiling salted water, stirring occasionally to make sure that the sheets don't stick together. When cooked (8 - 12 minutes, soft but not soggy, resistant to the bite, not crunchy), remove with wooden tongs or the handle of a wooden spoon and set to drain by laying on a dish towel.

PREPARE your filling, ragu, vegetable ragu, spinach. The spinach must be thoroughly drained. This can be done ahead.